Are you getting the most from your website?

When potential customers click on your website they are opening a virtual door into your store.

This is you introducing yourself and your brand to the world. Getting the design, visuals and copy right is paramount to a successful business. After all, your website is your most powerful internet marketing tool. It is not something you can afford to get wrong.

Entrepreneur Magazine reported that It takes less than two-tenths of a second for an online visitor to form a first opinion of your brand once they’ve viewed your company’s website, according to researchers at the Missouri University of Science and Technology.

Your website is more than just somewhere customers can find out and learn about what you do, it is where they and your suppliers get to meet you. Use it to show your credibility, detail your expertise and your background. Always have an About page, try to make it personal to show the people behind the brand.

Do you provide a service for your clients? Make sure you have examples of what you have done for other clients and businesses. Consider a blog to demonstrate your solutions and skill set. A good website will generate leads, think about how you can do this. Your website will also be the focal point for all your social media, not every platform is suitable for every business, choose the ones that are right for you and check your links work!

Once you have worked on an effective design layout it is time to work on your content. Keep it short and relatively simple and do not make claims which are not true! Legalities aside you will soon get found out. Be wary of superlatives and statements such as ‘the best in town’ and ‘greatest ever’ unless you have proof that you really are!

Even if you do not have a flair for writing there area few tips you should always consider when embarking on writing copy for your website.

1. Identify your reader. Talk to them in a language they will understand enabling them to get a clear picture of what you do and what you offer. Talk to them like you are having a conversation with them.

2. Give an overview of what do, keep it clear and concise. Use compelling words that capture their imagination without too many adjectives. Too much padding and your reader will switch off and most likely move on to a competitor.

3. Show how you can help them. Simply listing what you do is not enough. Explain how and why you will help them and how they can benefit.

4. Make sure your website is easy to navigate. This might seem rather obvious but you do not want to have a potential customer wasting time on finding information – given the precious seconds they spend on each website you cannot afford to lose time or them.

5. Remember not everyone starts on your home page, they might land on your contacts page first – reiterate what you do.

6. Just like meeting someone for the first time – do not just talk about yourself. What is in it for them? How can they save money / be happier / gain productivity?

7. Do not forget engaging eye catching visuals – the icing on the virtual cake. It is often the pictures, themes and colours that people remember about websites. If emoji’s can speak many words then pictures will tell thousands….

Websites will need to be regularly updated to keep them current and to showcase your latest products and services. Sometimes an established website will simply need a tweak or two to take it from appropriate to distinctive with dazzling copy helping your business to significantly more
sales.

At Piggy Goes To Market, we specialise in Public Relations and often find ourselves helping our clients re-write their websites. We also use our experience in branding know how to give an overview on the effectiveness of website image and content.

I would have no hesitation in recommending Louise Brogan. She is my ‘go to’ person for all my IT and Social Media needs. A total pleasure to work with and extremely knowledgeable in her field.

”

Claire McCollum, freelance broadcaster & event host

“

Louise is a guru in the world of social media. I have used her services for my clients and have no hesitation in recommending her to others. Louise has a great way of understanding the business needs and is great across a wide range of sectors.

”

Nuala Foley, Director Nuala Foley & Associates Ltd :Consultancy

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